There are a variety of different types of exercise apparatus using some form of tension line to provide exercise resistance. Often these devices provide a line formed from a highly elastic polymeric material which may be elastically deformed by a user using the user's arms or other body parts. Handles are typically connected to the tension line allowing a user to grasp the device, for example using hands or feet, and perform various body motions while subject to the resistance provided by the tension line. The result of such restricted motion is a training of the muscles and increased muscle strength. Such devices may be used in professional or amateur sports training, rehabilitation, or leisure exercise. Certain sports such as boxing are particularly suited toward such devices since a boxer can use the sprung line to provide resistance to punching motions.
Known tension line exercise apparatus are limited in that in most cases they require a user to grasp a handle with a hand in order to actuate the tension line. Accordingly, during use of one of the known devices, a user is not easily able for example to wear boxing gloves, shoot/pass a basketball, pass a football, or perform other activities which require free hands. Moreover, if a device can only be used by grasping a handle with a hand, force can only be applied at that user's hand. Certain training or rehabilitation activities may benefit from a force application away from the user's hand, for example in cases where such force application is uncomfortable to a user due to an injury or other pre-existing condition.
In view of the above, there is a need for a tension line exercise apparatus which can provide resistance without relying on handles to be grasped by a user's hands or feet. Such device should provide a force application originating at a location distanced from a user's hand, allowing the user to have free hands to engage in other activities and preventing discomfort sometimes associated with a resistance force originating at a user's hand. The device should also provide varied resistance to suit a user preference.